Harry apparated back to the safe house and headed straight for the sleeping area.
"Potter," he turned to see McGonagall coming from the living room.
"Everything's fine. I'm going to sleep."
"What happened?" she asked tightly.
"Not much," then remembering how unpleasant it was to be kept out of the loop added, "We will be doing recruitment."
"We've already recruited everyone willing."
"Voldemort's going to try to scare up some hold outs," Harry replied realizing how harsh he sounded.
"Raids," McGonagall said lips tight with anger.
"No deaths. "
"And how did you arrange that?"
"By making it clear that the alliance is contingent on a lack of civilian deaths."
McGonagall's mouth tightened in obvious disapproval he couldn't blame her, it wasn't much of a reassurance.
"Were there a lot of civilian deaths in the first war?"
"Yes why?"
"Just wondering," Harry replied feeling disconcerted though he couldn't place why he'd assumed that after all.
With that retreated to the sleeping area to lay on his robe 'mattress' and think. He had to do it. That was the only conclusion he could come to. After all he could hardly turn down an opportunity to rescue Lupin and he did want to learn to block the link.
While the idea of willingly letting Voldemort Legilimens him was worrisome it wasn't as though he couldn't just do it at will anyway. Really there wasn't much down side and he might even learn something like he had about Snape, though likely nothing crucial.
Harry sighed and fell asleep, his dreams filled with shadowed shapes, screaming and serpentine laughter.
The following days dragged by in boredom and monotony, Hermione spent most of her time reading and Harry eventually fed up with having nothing to do approached her risking the wrath of interrupting.
"Hey…" Hermione lowered her book glaring at him. Bloody hell she could give Voldemort a run for his money there, "I was just wondering…are there any books about…I don't really know what to call it…soul magic?"
Hermione who'd brightened at the word 'books', blinked, "Harry…"
"I need to do research. That's all," Harry explained cutting her off.
Hermione stared at him for a long moment.
"I don't know any. Perhaps I'm not the 'person' to ask," she added coldly.
"I trust you though and…surely you know something."
Her eyes softened, "I really don't I'm sorry."
Harry nodded.
A knock sounded at the door and he went to answer, glad to get out of the awkward situation. Taking a look at the foe glass he opened the door and in walked Tonks.
"Hey!"
"Harry!" she yelled hugging him. "I'd heard you were here but I didn't..." her voice cracked, "I'm so glad you're alright."
"We looked but we couldn't find you," Harry explained.
"Yeah I went into hiding when they ordered that all metamorphmagi wear stasis bracelets as well as the suppression collars."
Harry nodded.
"Have you heard from Remus?" she asked. He could see the worry in her eyes despite her chipper demeanor.
"Yes. Voldemort has him."
She gasped.
"But I have a chance to get him out soon and he hasn't been tortured."
"H-how do you know."
And yet again Harry explained the circumstance of his capture and freedom.
"I could help you with the occlumency," Tonks offered, "I'm not great but I could show you the basics."
"No thanks. I…have an arrangement," he had little doubt that given what was in his mind training with anyone else would swiftly end the alliance oath or no. He wondered again at the pensieve training and the things he'd learned from the dreams and locket. The locket was actually companionable and in the penseive lessons Voldemort had seemed saner, more dangerous for it but still. A thought was beginning to form in his mind he just needed to know more about horcruxes. He wished that he could ask if Dumbledore had talked to the ring then remembered, Ginny.
Tonks was watching him with an odd look, "Harry are you sure the oath is air tight?"
"No in fact I'm fully aware of a couple loopholes but I think this'll work."
Tonks shook her head, "You're too brave Harry, there's a time for caution."
She turned to catch a coatrack she'd almost knocked over.
"The Fackleträgers ended that."
Tonks sighed and for the first time Harry could see how tired she looked.
"Lupin will be so happy to see you."
"Thanks Harry. Be careful."
Over the next week reports of small raids began to crop up, the paper didn't report it but word of mouth claimed that the dark mark had been sighted in each area. There were in fact no reported casualties only a large amount of property damage. In twos and threes they ventured out apperating around the countryside to talk to people and try to convince them to join. A surprising number agreed and before the week was out they'd almost doubled their numbers.
Word also got back to them from a ministry coworker of Mr. Weasley's that twice Fackleträgers had been caught in their homes and tortured.
Harry felt ill but he remembered the wording of the oath as though it'd been burned into his mind and it had specifically exempted Fackleträgers and Death Eaters from the no torture section.
He felt the disapproving glances of the others for the rest of the day though, regardless of if they were even looking at him.
"McGonagall?"
He asked after dinner.
"Yes. Is there anyway I could contact the Weasleys?"
"You could send a patronus."
"How?"
"Simply think of the message and recipient as you conjure it."
"Thanks."
Harry thought very carefully then concentrating on 'please meet me at the three broomsticks. Noon three days from today.' Cast the spell and watched in shock as a small silver snake slithered away.
"What was that?" Raoul's voice sounded from behind him.
"A patronus," Harry replied trying to sound casual. He slid his wand into his pocket to hide the shaking in his hands.
"It's a snake?" Raoul asked angrily.
Harry tapped his scar, "From the curse."
"Ahh of course, my apologies I just wasn't expecting it."
"No one does," Harry said forcing a smile I certainly didn't.
"I bet not," Raoul laughed.
Raoul continued on his way for a recruitment run with Tonks and Grenda and Harry left with only McGonagall walked out under his invisibility cloak into the forest .
When he'd gone about a mile he found an oak tree with a hole in the roots, "Kraxil!"
A moment later the snake slithered from its temporary home, he still felt like crap for making the little guy stay out here but the snake hadn't complained and Harry kept a disillusionment charm on him to hide him from predators.
"Hrrraaahhh!" the snake greeted happily.
"Hey, it's good to see you," Harry replied scooping up the heat hazed looking area that was his friend.
"You too," Kraxil nuzzled his cheek with his head.
"You're not going to believe this but my patronus is you now."
"What's a patronus?"
Harry blinked before realizing that there was no reason for the snake to know and he explained the spell.
"You're right. I don't believe it."
"What?"
"I find it much more likely that your affection for the heir is the reason for the change."
Harry's jaw dropped even though his first thought and fear at seeing the patronus had been that it was an effect of the horcrux some how taking him over, "Affection? We may be allied but I have no 'affection' for him."
"You are the only one who speaks to him as an equal except Nagini."
"That's just because of the truce what would you have me do submit?"
"No but you also tease and banter and more surprising he returns it in kind."
"It's not…I have to be civil and I want to kill him all that tension has to come out some way," Harry replied defensively.
"You are the only one except Nagini to speak with genuine kindness," Kraxil added pointedly.
"I'm polite but I wouldn't call it kindness."
"You apologized, none other I've heard has done so except out of fear."
"I see no reason to add more conflict to the alliance," Harry attempted to rationalize.
"Did you bring mice?" Kraxil asked suddenly.
Harry had honestly forgotten but he kept several on hand and drew them out the frozen tidbits and cast a quick spell to thaw them before feeding them one by one to the small snake. As he did so he furiously ran over his recent interactions with Voldemort and reminding himself that he'd had practical reasons for anything that could possibly be interpreted as 'affection'.
Suddenly he felt the snake charm warming. Perfect just abso-bloody-lutely perfect.
Setting Kraxil down with an apology he disapperated.
This time the great ebony doors opened at his approach and he made his way through the corridors to the throne room only to find Voldemort standing outside the door.
He turned and led the way down the hall and down a spiraling stone staircase. Harry was about to make a wry comment about how cliché the 'lair' was but clamped his jaw. Voldemort was his enemy regardless that there was a worse one at large.
They soon entered into an undecorated room maybe fifty feet square. A selection of practice dummies standing on the floor and a wood cabinet hanging on one wall were the only furnishings.
He saw a pensieve that he'd missed at first sitting in the middle of the room among the dummies. Voldemort waved his wand and the dummies collapsed into discs on floor, metal discs sandwiching a compressed bit of fabric.
"Deposit any memories you wish to protect in the pensieve."
Harry blinked, "How?"
"You've never done it before?"
"No."
"Severus didn't have you do so."
"I wish."
"And you agreed?" Anger.
"I didn't realize I had a choice I didn't even know what a pensieve was until I got curious and fell into his memories. You're angry for me?"
"Hhhss. I'm angry that I overestimated you. I thought you too intelligent to agree to this without protection."
"You offered Lupin how could I not agree?" Harry realized a second too late that he'd said too much. The link was far too happy for his liking.
"You are weak and pathetic even for a lion. What if I had learned where you're followers were hiding you would risk them all and your entire cause for one of your number?"
Harry glared at the floor.
"While we are in alliance you will attempt to think things through and you will store any memory that I request here."
"I do think things through and it depends on the memory," Harry shot back knowing he sounded a little petulant.
"Focus on the memories you wish to preserve and touch your wand to your temple then deposit it. Make sure you maintain concentration and the memory is unbroken."
Harry did so depositing the safe house locations and the names and faces of order members along with Kraxil's accusations, hoping that the pensieve was secure but knowing that if it wasn't the memories would just be viewed in training anyway.
"Now blank your mind and prepare."
Harry did his best.
"When you're ready meet my eyes."
Harry raised his head grateful for the chance to prepare and Voldemort's eyes seemed to glow a brighter red, surprise struck the link and he saw the same expression on his instr…ally's face.
"What?"
"Nothing. Prepare yourself again."
Harry was ridiculously curious but not wanting his mind torn into he did as instructed before meeting Voldemort's eyes.
A long pause and the memories began to come to mind. His dementor fed memories of his parents dying, interactions he'd had with Voldemort coated in his own guilt, Dudley chasing him, Dudley and friends beating the hell out of him, him meeting Kraxil. He realized Voldemort wasn't letting up. He should have assumed that and tried harder to blank his mind, then he tried to get angry and force him out, he was about to raise his wand in an attempt to disarm him when the raid of memories ended abruptly and he saw Voldemort standing in front of him hatred burning his eyes and the link.
"Again." Voldemort dove back into his mind and Harry quickly tried to forget his confusion and blank his mind. But still the memories surfaced, memories of the pensieve lessons, the memory of him destroying Dumbledore's room after Sirius' death. His hatred of Snape, he focused on that , still other memories appeared in the background.
Harry opened his eyes, he was laying on the stone floor.
"What happened?"
"You passed out."
Harry grunted and rose to his feet.
"We won't be able to make any more progress today."
Harry nodded. He could feel wisps in the link, a desire to kill and fear. Wait fear? He hadn't felt that since his dream trip.
"Uh did I do something wrong?"
"Other than exist?"
That stung more than it should given that they were mortal enemies.
"So is there anything I can to not fail at this?"
"Practice blanking your mind every night and remember to not allow any Death Eater to perform Legilimency on you."
Harry nodded.
With the memory of the Dursley's still burning in his mind with renewed pain Harry looked into the blood red eyes, "Look I know you have that whole thing about power and the weak but that doesn't make it okay for the strong to take advantage…"
"Hhhhsss. Even Albus knew better than try to dissuade me from my path."
"No I know that…I just mean…I've been there and what was done to you it wasn't right. Adults are…"
Murderous rage tore through the link, "Do not for a moment think I'm like you. Every one of those bastards paid in their turn. If you are too weak to take your revenge that's no concern of mine."
Harry shook his head, "I'm…"
"Think it and I'll see that you die screaming."
Harry swallowed the rest of his sentence.
To Harry's shock the anger in the link seemed more at the world at large than at him in particular and under that was something...complicated. Had it been anyone else he would have called it insecurity but...
On a whim he decided to try something, "So I...don't really like not knowing what's going on and...I wanted to do some research on the link but I asked Hermione and she didn't know any books that might help. She suggested that I ask you."
A long pause followed.
"Come," Voldemort turned and led the way to the throne room and Harry noted, disturbed that the link carried dark amusement rather than pride. Once they were inside Voldemort cast the deafening spell yet again and opened the side room. The spell lifted and Voldemort ordered, "Go in."
Harry did so unsurprised to see that unlike the Malfoy and Black homes most of the relics looked like junk and trinkets similar to the Headmaster's office. His throat burned with the memories as Voldemort followed, keeping an eye on him. Harry looked around, taking in the sights despite not knowing what any of the items did, and made his way to the book case against the far wall. It felt very odd having the evil wizard behind his back but he didn't think there was any danger here and was careful not to touch anything that might be warded.
"You'll want the ones titled 'Pe sufletul spart' and 'Magiya dushi i uma samogo temnyye"
"What?"
Voldemort gave a hiss and Harry jumped about a foot when he placed a hand on his shoulder to push him aside. Voldemort pulled two battered tomes off the shelf and handed them to Harry.
"Uh thanks but I can't read these."
"Russian ad Anglicus"
"Ow!" he yelped tensing as Voldmort smacked him on the forehead with his wand. He was ready for a fight, his own wand already in his hand braced for immeasurable pain but nothing happened.
He gestured for Harry to leave the room, "The Russian words will appear as English to you for the next few hours."
"Thanks but ask next time," Harry muttered rubbing his forehead.
Voldemort smirked, "Learn to do it yourself then. I'll of course require that you stay here while you read."
Harry hadn't thought of that but it seemed reasonable enough and he knelt on the floor of the throne room.
"You knew exactly what I was doing, it amused you. So why did you give me the books?"
Voldemort contemplated Harry for a moment before answering, "Because on the off chance that the link didn't feed you all the answers there are times when it's beneficial for people to think they can play you."
Harry paled at that, "and the rest of it? that's not the only reason."
"People rarely have one reason for doing anything."
"And."
"I believe between Albus and the link you have more than enough information."
The words were cold maybe slightly annoyed so Harry was stunned by the bitterness in the thought and something else, that ghost of regret that he'd felt when they'd argued about the oath.
He wanted to ask but knew he wouldn't get a straight answer, Voldemort might not even be able to give one. He wondered what the man would have been like fully intact, it was becoming clear to him that he'd lost more than just bits of soul and humanity with every horcrux.
Harry just nodded and settled down to read. The book was fascinating which surprised him and also immeasurably creepy which did not. He hadn't even gotten to the part about horcrux but was instead on a passage about soul link spells and one that could force people to feel certain emotions even to the point of making them attack allies.
"A word of caution."
Harry looked up annoyed at having his concentration broken but he could feel a sort of cautious approval in the link like he'd passed some sort of test.
"If you think to learn about the link do not trust any book. As far as I've ever found none refer to anything beyond a single horcrux therefore they may or may not be accurate."
"Thanks but it's still more than I know now."
Voldemort simply waved his hand in a 'carry on' gesture so Harry did though he wasn't blind to the bitterness filling the link.
After a few more pages Harry got fed up, "You're distracting me."
"I shouldn't expect that you'd be comfortable in my presence but you understand I wish to keep those books in sight they are rather difficult to find and I have other demands on time."
"Well no," Harry replied realizing the oddness of the situation, "Actually I'm perfectly comfortable it's just you're so angry," he tapped his scar.
More anger added to the link and Harry cursed himself for being an idiot, like Voldemort cared. Hell he'd just touched the scar the monster'd left trying to kill him.
He read on for a while, forcing himself to concentrate. Hermione would have been proud.
Voldemort eventually moved his wand to open the door and in slithered Nagini.
She slithered up to Voldemort and opened her mouth to deposit a small bag.
"Thank you Nagini."
Though the words might have been as false as when he said 'dear bellatrix'. The link held a whisper of genuine affection.
"Do you have a problem with Nagini?"
"I have a problem with him massster."
Harry realized that he'd been staring, "N-not at all. Sorry."
Nagini sniffed the air and slithered over to Harry. Her upper third rose off the floor a few feet to look down at him as she sniffed again.
"He sssmells like prey massster."
"Indeed."
"May I eat him?"
"Not yet."
"When."
"In a year perhaps."
That was a lie. Did that mean he had no intention of feeding Harry to the snake or intended to sooner?
"A pity, " she lowered herself to the floor and slithered back to Voldemort and up around his shoulders. Harry could feel contentment and a hint of relaxation in the link.
Harry rose from where he'd been sitting and approached the throne, feeling tension in the link he raised his hands.
"May I?"
"May you what?"
"Pet her?"
Voldemort nodded and Harry reached out his hand to stroke her head as he would Kraxil's. She closed her eyes in appreciation and remembering suddenly he pulled a couple of left over frozen mice from his pocket.
"Hang on and I'll warm these up."
"I like them cold," Nagini said and snapped them from his hand. Pain flashed in his hand and he clutched it.
"You wouldn't have gotten ssscratched if you hadn't flinched," she hissed.
"Bloody hell," Harry inspected his bleeding hand, "I need an antidote!"
"Relax. She can choose to use her poison or not."
"Oh," Harry replied calming as amusement filled the link.
"A Gryffindor terrified by a scratch?"
"And feeding a snake?" Nagini added her master's amusement echoed in her tone.
"I thought I was dying! I saw what your poison did to Mr. Weasley," Harry hissed back hating both of them.
"The man at the ministry."
"Ah. He was tasty."
Harry hissed in pure rage.
"Now Nagini we are allies," Voldemort replied though it had an oddly playful tone and there was only amusement in the link.
"I would suggest faster allies Massster. Still I truly didn't mean to bite you cub and I appreciated the food."
Harry sighed, "I can hardly blame a snake for doing what comes natural. Just…don't take them from my hand next time?"
"Understood. Though if I may say you taste very good."
"Please don't," Harry replied thoroughly creeped out.
Harry sat back down to return to his book.
"Don't get blood on it!" Voldemort's sharp hiss turned Harry's head and he actually laughed.
"What's so funny?" Nagini hissed irate.
"Just…I dunno I find it kind of ironic him saying not to get blood on something."
"He has a point."
"Nagini," Voldemort's tone was full of warning.
"My apologies Masssster."
"Episky," Harry cast the charm quietly followed by one to clean the blood away and settled back to his reading.
"There will be a meeting shortly. You should leave before my Death Eaters arrive."
"I'd rather attend," Harry replied despite his fear he didn't want to be out of the loop and the less plotting done away from him the better, enemies close and all that.
"Until you can perform occlumency to at least some extent it would be better for both of us if you avoided the death eaters."
"But if I master occlumency I can attend?"
"If."
Harry rose with a mixture of relief and frustration but understood that nothing good would come from the death eaters seeing into his mind and though a part of him wanted to take the risk he knew better than to push the issue.
LVLVLVLVLVLVLV
After Harry had left, easily observable in view mirrors set up around the castle Voldemort allowed himself a smile and reached up to pet Nagini.
"He really is a hatchling."
"You take pleasssure in toying with sssuch sssmall prey Masssster?" his horcrux asked with a hint of disapproval.
"No it's beneath me. It's irrelevant though I will need to dispose of him soon enough."
"Why isss that?"
"You like the boy?" he asked disgusted.
"I don't dislike him."
"Hhhsss. You disappoint me Nagini."
She dipped her head a bit, "Yet you allow him to sit here and you converse with him as you have only ever done with me."
"It would have been useful to have him on our side. However as I said, the alliance must come to an end."
"Again I asssk why massster?"
"He knows too much." The horcruxes were bad enough but if the boy ever breathed a word about him being a half blood nothing good could come of that. That said he had seen nothing in the boy's mind to suggest that he knew the kind of power his knowledge held. Still it was a risk to let him live and Salazar only knew how many he'd told.
On the other hand either torturing or breaking into the boy's mind to find out wouldn't be an option until the vow ended. He could secure an extension of the oath but if the boy refused he'd have tipped his hand. On some level he knew he was overracting, angry that his enemy knew his great shame. Either way he would have to wait to act.
"Time to see the fish I caught. You may hunt if you wish."
"Thank you master."
Voldemort headed for the training room as Nagini slithered on her on way out to the grounds.
Once at his destination Voldemort dove into the memories. The first few were obvious, locations of safe houses, handy but they would likely change before he had any desire to attack. Order members, more useful and he committed them to memory Harry would certainly need these back before he destroyed the operation entirely.
Then came a scene of the boy in the woods talking to a disillusioned snake, presumably the one Voldemort'd recently returned. The snake accused the boy of 'affection' and the boy's denials struck him as well as the snake apparently, as ringing false. He would have been shocked had he not felt the appreciation bordering on respect in the boy's mind during their lesson, had he not felt the horrid sincerity in the link as the boy tried to excuse Voldemort's own human weakness as a child. What did surprise him was the small snake's assertion of his own reciprocation. Surely he'd put effort into changing the boy's allegiance but it had hardly bordered on affection any more than his act for the Smith witch had. Of course it was understandable that the snake would be taken in by his act but snakes were usually good at seeing through deception and the snake had been fully aware of what he was.
He left the training room and was about to head for the meeting hall when he saw Nagini slithering up the hall.
"The boy hasn't left."
Voldemort sighed in annoyance but figure in truth it was for the best, the boy would likely be caught by Fackletragers and imprisoned for his lack of suppression collar if he couldn't find his safe houses.
Voldemort triggered the boy's charm and opened the doors as he approached.
"Hey," the boy greeted sheepishly through he'd drawn himself up as though to convey confidence.
"Why are you still here?" he asked hiding his distaste at the disrespect, the boy would pay soon enough.
"I don't know where I was supposed to go? You put a memory charm on me," the boy sounded annoyed but fear touched his voice and flooded the link.
He was almost impressed by how well the boy controlled his fear, those soft little purebloods could learn a bit.
"I didn't though perhaps I should if you continue to forget your place."
The boy actually rolled his eyes, "My place is as an equal it'd be nice if you stopped forgetting. I guess all that magic really is frying your mind."
He hissed in annoyance, "And it would seem that Severus was correct at your congenital inability to retain anything but the most basic spells. My mind is fine as I have explained the effects do no damage to any actual information, you on the other hand left your memories in a pensieve."
The boy paled, "Oh. You looked at them?"
So the boy wasn't as naïve as he sometimes appeared. That was a good sign.
"Of course," not being able to lie really was limiting he should redouble his efforts on that front, he would have little but downtime for the next few months.
The boy shuddered, "I suppose that in your view it's my own fault for forgetting." The boy sounded more tired than angry or afraid.
Voldemort was surprised by the words but nodded as he turned to lead the boy back to the training room.
"Has anyone else seen them?"
"No."
"What are the chances that you would give an oath to not use the information."
He briefly considered exchanging it for the information he was a half blood but decided it wasn't worth it. For one the boy didn't appear to know it could be a weapon and handing him the information would be more dangerous than saying nothing and for another those who'd had been in Hogwarts with him had known and kept his secret out of fear and shame. If more found out he was powerful enough to render it a non issue. His initial rage burning down to a more calculated reaction.
"None."
"You seemed to go to an awful amount of trouble to hide your wounds this summer. I could tell the Death Eaters."
He wished fervently that he could curse the boy perhaps a nice disembowelment or a flaying…slowly…applied body part by body part.
"They wouldn't believe you even if you did. They think me a god and I act…accordingly."
"I could offer them to veriteserum me."
"But you wouldn't."
The boy sighed as they entered the room, the boy approached the pensieve and looked back questioningly.
"You see the folly of needing help? The power it gives people over you?"
The boy huffed again, "You don't have to worry about that kind of thing with normal people."
"Really? As I recall everything has a price."
"Not one that would cost lives."
"You're arguing degrees not fact?"
"I'm arguing that normal people don't look for every possible angle to dominate people."
"Because they are either too stupid to or they already serve a master who protects them."
"Just tell me how to get the damn memories back."
"No."
The hesitated. "Please tell me."
Voldemort allowed himself a laugh, "No."
The boy rolled his eyes, "Please tell me…my Lord."
"Without the eyeroll or sarcasm," he was enjoying this more than was really befitting but castlelife admittedly bored him.
"If it bores you so much why are you so hell bent on ruling everything?"
"Because with freedom anything is possible and I have the time to wait."
The boy sighed again, "Please tell me my Lord."
Voldemort nodded, "Simply catch the memories on your wand and return them in the same manner you removed them."
"That's it?" the boy's annoyance were clear in both the link and his voice.
Voldemort nodded and the boy disgruntledly followed the instructions.
When the boy was done he stalked out of the room.
"You know we'll change safe houses."
"I'd have been disappointed if you didn't."
The boy huffed, angry now but likely at his own mistake.
The boy stopped stalking down the halls and hissed in a bitter tone, "Don't you ever get tired of always being a symbol, one slip and everyone's waiting to jump?"
"I never slip."
"Even if that were true it wasn't what I asked."
"No. Though I take it you have and that's the real reason you jumped at the idea of the truce."
"I took the truce because it was the only option I saw. But yeah I'm tired, they expect us to be something more than human but are ready to turn the second we do anything that doesn't fit their plan. Even though they chose to follow."
"Never speak to me like that again!" he snapped at the boy's attempt at false camaraderie, at his own desire to believe it. "I am more than human. I chose this life you did not we are different."
"No. You chose it for me I never had any say. Not until now." The boy was sounding more confident, warming to his own idea as he spoke, "I don't want to be a pawn anymore."
The worthless boy sounded like he was about to cry but there was power behind his words, determination.
"Why are you telling me this? Go cry to one of your precious 'friends'."
"They wouldn't understand. Besides…I sort of just realized."
"You're how old?"
"Better late than never?" though given the annoyance in the link it was clear that boy thought he was expecting too much.
Voldemort said nothing and kept walking.
"You know I should thank you…I've learned a lot here."
"You think me so easily flattered?"
"It wasn't…I was being genuine."
Voldemort spun and locked eyes with the boy. The boy didn't flinch, didn't even seem to want to, nobody but Albus had done that in a long while and he quickly found the truth in the statement.
"Disgusting."
"You've helped me out. I don't have to like you to be grateful."
"I've helped you to achieve my own ends," he snapped immediately realizing he sounded far too defensive.
"It doesn't matter. I'm grateful for the opportunity."
He didn't delve the feeling that response gave him, his assertions to the contrary he suspected that his horcrux torn mind wouldn't provide him with an answer. He was fairly sure he didn't want an answer.
He felt the boy's eyes on him and looked to see the boy was staring in open shock like an idiot.
"It's been a long time since anyone's genuinely thanked you for anything hasn't it?"
"There is no such thing. Gratitude is merely a desire for more favor."
"It's not…" the boy gave up and sighed. "Sure whatever. Why lead people who don't even have basic respect?"
Voldemort laughed, "You and Albus are the only people in decades who have shown anything but perfect respect and lived."
The boy shook his head, "Showing respect is different from respecting someone. I showed Severus respect but I never respected him."
"You respected him out of fear but it's respect all the same. The reason doesn't matter."
Again the boy shook his head, "The reason is all that matters."
"Fear is simply a respect for power."
"I respect the things you can do but I don't fear you," the boy explained haughtily.
"Because of the oath."
The boy didn't reply.
"Does Severus often cry during torture?" a sick feeling filtered through the link and it struck Voldemort with a horrific sort of familiarity. He dismissed the thought as an oddity of the link.
"Only if I specifically intend it. In fact he makes a point of not doing so."
"Why was he last…time then?"
"I neither know nor care. Human weakness is not something I'm subject to and have no desire to understand."
"Yet didn't you gather the Death Eaters by preying on their isolation and frustration and fear?"
"I no longer need to rely on such ephemeral tactics."
"No longer need or no longer can?"
He opened his mouth to hiss a reply then thought better of it.
"You lost some of your ability in manipulation when you carved out the bits of your humanity."
"What humanity. I never shared in your mortal weaknesses."
"I know for a fact that isn't true, not even to the extent that Dumbledore believed it to be."
Voldemort sensed a death eater or more accurately their dark mark, approaching and flicked his hand to open the door to them. How had this uppity boy's teachers possibly refrained from cursing him to bloody pulp. At least he wasn't dumb enough to say such things openly. Voldemort would have fun when the year was up and that wasn't something he'd been able to say in decades.
He took a step toward the boy and the boy instinctively backed up hitting the wall as shame filled the link.
"You believe me to be so weak? You should be proud. I will take perssssonal pleassssure in torturing the missssconception out of you when your year is up."
"I'm honored," the boy responded dryly despite the fear flooding the link and filling his scent.
"My Lord?"
He turned to find Lucius kneeling, tremoring slightly with fear though he was trying to hide it.
"What is so urgent that you must interrupt your Lord?"
Lucius raised his head to speak and Voldemort saw that he was darting his eyes at the boy nervously. That was a good sign, he had thought that walking in on that scene might create the image he was looking for. It probably would have been better if he hadn't been intimidating the boy but regardless it seemed to have had the intended effect. Well intended secondary effect the boy still didn't have a proper fear in him…yet.
"My apologies my Lord I wasn't aware that…"
"Get to the point!" he moved his hand subtly towards his wand and the aristocrat flinched, swallowing hard. Bloody hell the boy had more spine than his 'hardened Death Eaters' it was disgusting.
"An old ministry contact informed me that they expect the rebellion to be ended by the new year. It seems that one or more of the light side's," he sneered the name, "new additions handed over all the purebloods in their ranks to receive suppression collars only they were sent to Azkaban, as were fittingly the informants for refusing to give up the 'sympathizers'."
Voldemort whirled on the boy something unidentifiable and painful slid along the link and the boy's eyes were filled with tears. Of course they were, the boy was going to get himself killed before they finished their mission.
"Dismissed," he ordered and the Death Eater rose and swept away.
"Did you make no attempt to vet the recruits?"
The boy shrugged, he looked ill, "I wasn't really involved in it much really. M…the others from the first war knew what they were doing so I left it to them."
Voldemort stared at him in utter disgust, "You are literally the poster boy of the light. What is your value if not in recruiting!"
He watched the boy obviously struggle for a response, "I can fight," he said finally.
"You have good instincts but in an actual all out fight?"
"In the grave yard…"
"I'm not talking about a duel you ignoramus. I mean an actually dirty battle. At that who have you dueled without conveniently linking wands?"
"We've taken out enough Death Eaters that you must be aware of my abilities."
"Yes. They won't stand up against an organized force like the Fackletragers and more over the rest of the 'order' doesn't share your aptitude."
"I can train them," the boy asserted all happiness and defiance.
Voldemort nodded, "See that you do and fix your recruiting procedure."
"I don't take orders from you."
"You do now since you're clearly incapable of thinking for yourself."
The boy hissed his annoyance.
"Now leave. "
The boy looked ready to argued but obeyed though judging from the link it was more out of shame and something soft and grotesque than fear.
Voldemort moved into the meeting hall and called his servants to him.